The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the collapse of a building in Vidaz Estate, Sabon Lugbe extension, Abuja.

According to the police, the incident left five individuals trapped and later rescued from the debris.

In a statement by SP Josephine Adeh, the Police Public Relations Officer, the police said no fatalities had been reported in the incident.

Surprisingly, she revealed that the building had originally been demolished by FCT authorities due to its location in an illegally acquired area.

However, the structure was compromised a second time due to scavengers tampering with it for scrap metal, which ultimately led to its secondary collapse.

The FCT Police urged the public to observe boundaries around demolished structures and construction sites to prevent similar incidents.

Adeh also emphasized the importance of staying away from unstable structures to ensure public safety.

She said, “The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the collapse of a building situated in Vidaz Estate, within the Sabon Lugbe extension, FCT. Preliminary investigations reveal that the building was previously demolished by the FCT Authorities due to its location in an illegally acquired area.

“The structure was further compromised by scavengers who had been tampering with the remnants for scrap metal, ultimately leading to its secondary collapse.

“A total of five individuals were successfully rescued from the debris, and there were no reported fatalities.

“In light of this incident, the public is urged to respect the boundaries of demolished structures and construction sites to ensure their safety and prevent similar occurrences in the future.”